Pressure-indicator for internal-combustion engines.



J. D. RENNE.

PRESSURE INDICATOR FOR INTERNAL CGMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I7. 19|?.

1 ,266,627. Patented May 21, 1918.

CHECK VALVES JAMES D. RENNE.

@Hoz Het).

JAMES D. RENNE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

PRESSURE-INDICATOR FOR INTERNAL-COMBIJ'STION ENGINES.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1913.

Application led December 17, 1917. Y Serial No. 207,642.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES D. RENNE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure- Indicators for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to indicating devices for use in connection with multi-cylinder internal combustion engines to show defective and ineicient operation of one or more of the engine-cylinders when the remaining cylinders are operating normally and eiiiciently. It is the object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism, permanently attachable to internal combustion engines such as those used in motor-vehicles, and capable of instantly indicating, while the engine is running, defective operation of any of the engine-cylinders such that the pressures produced in the defectively-operating cylinder or cylinders are materially less than the pressure produced in the normally-operating cyliners.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a diagrammatic representation ofmechanism embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail side view and partial longitudinal section of the pressure-actuated indicationcontrolling device by which my mechanism is specially characterized.

In the illustrated structure there is an internal-combustion engine having four cylinders 11, 12, 13 and 14; and the pressureactuated indication-controlling device comprises a hollow or chambered casing having four small cylinders 21, 22, 23 and v24 dependent therefrom, there being one of said A indicator-cylinders for each cylinder of the engine. The lower portions of the respective indicator-cylinders are connected by suitable pipes or conduits 31, 32, 33 and 34 with the combustion-chambers of the enginecylinders 11, 12, 13 and 14, said pipes or conduits preferably being formed by pieces of small-sized flexible metal tubing provided with the usual and well-known connecting fittings. Adj acent to the engine each of said tubes or pipes is cock, the handles 41, 42, 43 and 44 of said cocks bein pivotally connected with an acmating-rod 40, and the latter having connected therewith a spring 4 by which the provided with a shut-olf cocks are held normally in closed position. Adjacent to the shut-oft' cocks the several tubes have branch-conduits 51, 52, 53 and 54 connected therewith by means of T-iittings 3, each of said branch-conduits having therein a check-valve 50 openable away from the engine-cylinder, and being connected beyond said valve to a common pipe or tube 30. The latter is connected `with the main chamber of the casing 20, so as to transmit thereto the gases or combustion-products from the severall engine-cylinders delivered under pressure through the check-valves 50, and said valves preventing any return-flow of said gases toward the engine In each of the indicator-cylinders there is held slidably a piston 25 having a stem 26 extending upwardly therefrom, the piston being normally at a position intermediate the ends of the cylinder, and having coil springs 27 and 28 disposed respectively above and below the same. rIhe lower end of the spring 28 rests upon a seat 29 which may be adjusted vertically to vary the compression of said spring. For adjusting the position of said spring-seat, a screw is extended through a threaded opening in the lower end of the cylinder, the upper end of said screw engaging the seat, and a locknut 36 being provided on the external portion of the screw, as shown in Fig. 2. The stems 26 of the pistons in the indicator-cylinders are adapted to engage the lower or inner ends of contact-screws 61, 62, 63 and 64 which extend into the casing 20 through bushings 37, the latter passing through screw-plugs 38 arranged in alinement with the pistons. On the inner ends of the bushings there are screwed'nuts 37 of insulating material, and the bushings are insulated from the plugs by sleevesand washers 39 of non-conducting material. The contact-screws 61, 62, 63, and 64 are connected by means of wires 71, 72, 73 and 74,v respectively, with indicatorlamps 81, 82, 83 and 84, which may be located at any desired position, as, -for example, on the dash or instrument-board of a motor-vehicle with which the mechanism-- is used. The indicator-lamps are preferably mounted on a base 8 having thereon the outline 80 of an engine, the lamps being located on the cylinder-portions of said outline corresponding respectively to'the several cylinders of the actual engine 10 with which thelamps are connected through the medium of the described devices. A.common wire 7 entends irer lamps to sto or other si 7s source of e orgy, and :from the other terminal of said source a wire T0 is extended to the indicator-casing 20, for completing the lamp-circuits. The actuating-rod for 'the sluit-oa cocks is connected with the plunger or movahle core of a solenoid 46, the latter being included in a circuit 'formed through wires 47 and 48 to the battery 9. A switch 49 is included in both the solenoid-circuit and lamp-circuits, whereby said circuits may he simultaneously opened or closed. Upon closing of the switch 49 the solenoid is energized and the core 45 is drawn into the same, thereby moving the rod 40 to open the shuto' cocks, which are moved to and held at closedposition bythe spring 4 when the .solenoid 1s not energized.

small vent 15 is provided in the casing 20, and a similar vent 16 is provided in the lower portion of each of the indicatorcylinders 21, 22, 23 and 24, as shown in Fig. 2. When the shut-oil cocks are closed and the mechanism is not in use for a short lamps 8l, 82, 83 and 84, it the main switchl 49 is in closed position; the spring-pressures being such that the pistons have a slight bias toward the circuit-closing positions thereof.

ln the use of the indicating apparatus, utter the saine is, properly connected and adjusted, and while the engine is running, v

the switch 49 is moved to closed. position, and the solenoid-circuit and lamp-circuits are therehy closed. The energization of the solenoid causes opening of the shut-oil cocls so that pressure from the I combustion chambers of the engine-cylinders is admitted to the pipes 31, 32, 33 and '34, being thereby conducted 'to the lower ends of the respective indicator-cylinders, and pressure from the engine-cylinders also passes through the branch-conduits 51, .52 53 and 54, check-valves 50, and pipei) tothe chainher in casing 20 which connects with the upper ends of all of 'the indicator-cylinders. lr all of the engine-cylinders are operating normally and eiiciently, so that substantially equal pressures are produced therein, the Huid-pressures upon the indicator- 'pistons remain substantially equal, and the lamp-circuits remain closed so that the indicater-lamps are lighted. If, for any reason,

such as improper ignition, valve-leakage, leakage ci piston-rings, or obstruction of the inlet or exhaust @as passages, pressures produced in one or more ci? the enginecylinders are substantially less than the preures produced in the .normally-operating cylinders, then less `iluid-pressure is er.-

erted upon the lower end ci the correspondthe same es the maximum premure produced in any oi the engine-cylinders, or said maximum pressure less the slight pressure re quired to open the check-valves, and the friction-losses of the gases in passing through the connecting pipes. lt will also be seen that to cause downward movement of any of the indicator-pistons, it is merely necessary that the loins of the respective piston to circuit-closing position he overcome hy the difference oit duid-pressures upon the upper and lower ends of the piston. By varying the adjustment ci the springs 28, the lilas of the pistons toward circuit-closing position may he made such that slight differences of pressure in the several engine-cylinders, such as might occur with-out the operation thereof heilig considered as abnormal or inefcient, will not he indicated, or so that an indication will 1ce made of any desired pressure-didst'- ential.

lt will he understood by those skilled in the art, that the specific structural elements herein shown and described are purely illus-= trative, and that many changes and modi- .dcations thereof may be made without departing 'from theessential characteristics of my invention, of which the true scope is dei'ined in the appended claims.

'What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. indicating mechanism for multrcylinder internal-combustion engines, comprising a movable member for each engine-cylinder exposed at one side to duid-pressure from the respective cylinder, a common conducting ineens for directin duid-pressure from a plurality of the engine-cylinders to thesides of said movable memhers opposite the side irst named, and means for indicating movement of said members resulting from differences of pressureupon said opposite sides thereof..

2. indicating mechanism for multi-cylinder internal-combustion engines, comprising a movable member 'for each engine-cylinder, means for directing to one side of each of said movalole members substantially the maxiis imumfluidf-pressure roduced in an of the engine-cylinders, and) means for irecting to Athe o positesides of the severall members flui ressure. from the respective engine-cylin ers'.,

'3. Indicating mechanism for multi-cylin- `-der internal-combustion engines, comprising an electricalV indicator-circuit for each en ne-cylinder, a movable controllmg-memr for each circuit biased to circuitclosing` osition, means for 'directing fiuidfpressure m the respective enginecylinders to said controlling-members so as to tend to move the same toWard'circ'uit-closing osition, and means for directingsubstantia y the maxil mum fiuid-pressure-producedin any of the engine-cylinders u-pon said controlling'members so as to tend to move the same away lfrom circuit-closing position. .20

4f.v Comparative-pressure indicating means for multifcylinder internal-combustion eng1nes,comprising a movable indicator-controlling member for -4each engine-cylinder,-

conduits for directing upon one side of each of said membels fluid-pressure from the -respective engine-cylinders, conduits for directing upon the opposite sides of said memy bers Huid-pressure from each of the enginecylindersfand valves in -the latter conduits for preventing return-flow therethrough toward the englne-cylinders.

5. In a mechanism of the class described,

.a casing having a plurality of cylinders opening a common chamber, pistons mova le 1n said-cylinders, non-return fluid-pressure-conductmg means connecting said common chamber with the cylinders of an in- I ternal combustion engine, and meansv vfor conductmg fluid-Elessure from each of the several 'engine-cy ders to the ends 'of the respective cylinders first-named to oppose thepressures upon the several pistons from,

the common chamber.

6. .The combustion with an internal-combustion engine having a plurality of. cylinders, of an lindicator-cylinder for each engine-cylinder, saidindicator-cylinders communicating at one end withl a common cham-' ber,'conduits connecting therengine-cylinders with the -respective indicator-cylinders at the endsthereof opposite said common chamber, valved branches from said conduits all communicating with said common cham'- ber, and pistons movably disposed in said' indicator-cylinders and exposed at one end to fluid-pressure from said common chamber and at the other end to fluid-pressures from the'lrespective engine-cylindersl only.

7. The combination with an internal-combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, of an indicator-cylinder for each enginejcylinder, said indicator-cylinders com-A municating at, one end with a common chainber, conduits connecting the engine-cylinders with the :respective indicator-cylinders chamber, valved lbranches from said conduits alll communicatingv .with said, common chamber, pistons mova ly disposeddn said indicator-cylinders and exposed at one end to fluid-pressure from-said common chamber and at the'other end to 'fluid-pressure from. the respective engine-cylinders only, electrical indicator-circuits controlled by the respective pistons, and electrically controlled shut-olf cocks in ytheconduits'. A

. 8. The combination 'with a multi-cylinder internal-combustion engine, of an indicatorcylinder for eachrengine-cylinder, said indiat one end cater-cylinders communicatin withva. common chamber, condults connecting the engine-cylinders with the respectlve indicator-cylinders at the ends thereof opposite at the ,ends thereof opposite said common from both ends of the several pistons, and springs biasing movement ofthe pistons .t0-

ward the common chamber.

l J; D. RENNE;

@@rreccen n Leiters Faen Nei @266,627,

It is hereby certified that in Letters aent No. 1,266,627, grened May 2l,

. i918, upon the epicetion of James D. Renne, of mahe, Neb'r., for en vimprevement in Prressure-ndcaors for nternai-Combueton En nes an error a eers in he printed speczation requiring confection es fell-owe: Page 3, ne 44, claim 6', for .the word combustion rend combinaion; and 'thatV the `mid Lettere Patent ehoud be reed wth'thie correction therein that the seme may eon'ozrm te t'he reeord of the mise im the Peatent Olce.y l l y signed ma med me 18th` day of June, A., 1D., me.

{SEAL} 11 W. H., CLAY,

Aoi/ng Commissioner Qf Patens. (CI. 12B-198. 

